Chap. XI. 



OF FOO-CHOW-FOO. 



221 



thoroughly trust, these men were intrusted with a 

 large amount of capital, and sent inland to the tea 

 country during the manufacturing season, in order 

 to buy up such teas as they required, and transmit 

 their purchases down the river Min to Foo-chow- 

 foo. In the mean time vessels were chartered to 

 go to the same 23ort to load with such teas and 

 convey them to their destination. 



The system thus planned and carried out met 

 with the most complete success, and I believe 

 Messrs. Russell and Co. reaped the reward to 

 which they were most justly entitled. Other large 

 houses of capital soon followed the examj)le which 

 had been set them, and now a very large export 

 trade in black teas is carried on at Foo-chow-foo. 

 This is one good result which has arisen out of 

 the rebellion in China, although perhaps it would 

 be difficult to mention another. Had there been 

 no anticipated difficulty in getting down teas to 

 Shanghae and Canton, it is scarcely likely the idea 

 of opening Foo-chow would have occurred to 

 Messrs. Russell and Co. 



But it is doubtful if the advantages of the Foo- 

 chow trade are as great as they would seem to 

 be at first sight. No doubt all teas made in the 

 Fokien district, south of the Bohea mountains, and 

 near the source and course of the river Min, can 

 be brought more easily and more cheaply to Foo- 

 chow than to any other port. And moreover, as 

 they come nearly the whole way by water, the 

 chests may be expected to arrive in better order 



